But so far, the buzz just isn't there.

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The big question is: can Sikandar match the box office behemoths that have come before it-Stree 2, Chhaava and the like?

For now, the signs aren't great. Despite a massive 5,000-screen release, advance bookings are underwhelming.

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Only about 1.5 to 1.75 lakh tickets have been sold in top multiplex chains-far short of what you'd expect from a Salman Khan film.

A strong walk-in crowd on Sunday could push opening day numbers up to ₹28-32 crore. But that's not exactly the dream start many were hoping for.

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Stree 2, for one, has set a very high bar at ₹585 crore. Jawan and Chhaava aren't far behind. Dangal, at ₹374.5 crore, is the benchmark Sikandar needs to crack the top 10. Salman's own best, Tiger Zinda Hai, hasn't even reached ₹400 crore.

The teaser and songs just didn't create much of a stir, and multiplexes are being pretty lukewarm.

But single screens could drive those collections-especially on Eid. If word-of-mouth is strong, Sikandar could aim for ₹250 crore. Without that, ₹200 crore starts to look like a stretch.

Sikandar has the scale, but it's missing that pre-release fire. If it wins over the audience, it could pull off a surprise.

But right now, breaking into Bollywood's top-grossing films looks like a tough climb. The next few days will show if Salman Khan can reclaim his box office dominance.